It Can Only Get Better
by EuropeSkies
Summary: Remember...Why could nobody ever remember? Matthew Williams is mistaken for Alfred by everybody in his highschool. Everybody but the new kid, Gilbert, that is. As Gilbert helps Matthew with his problems, Matthew is helping Gilbert with his. Pairing: Gilbert/Matthew Prussia/Canada *Sucky Summary - -*
1. Chapter 1

**Warning**: This first chapter might not be as exciting as the rest because it is an introduction, but I promise it'll get better as the story goes on. This story also contains boy/boy love..so don't like it? Well get out. I will only be using the countries' human names.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the storyline.

**Pairing**: Gilbert**x**Matthew (Prussia**x**Canada)

Well enjoy ^^

* * *

Remember...Why could nobody ever remember? What was it about him that made him so easy to forget?

His name was not "Alfred." No. He looked almost nothing like his annoying, video-game-obsessed older brother. His name was Matthew. Matthew Williams.

He had no idea why he was mistaken for his older brother so often. Matthew has deep, violet eyes while Alfred has light, blue ones. Matthew has light, wavy blond hair that reached his shoulders while his brother has straight, darker blond hair that reached to about the end of his chin. Not to mention they also have exact opposite personalities. Matthew is shy, quiet, and polite, where as Alfred is outgoing, loud, and obnoxious.

It was quite easy to tell the two brothers apart, or it would be if the other students at their high school would just take the time to get to know the younger brother.

Matthew spent his first two years of *Calgary High school with no friends. He was often mistaken for Alfred by his older brother's enemies, and, unfortunately for Matthew, Alfred had a lot of enemies, which means Matthew was often picked on. He had spent most of tenth grade being picked on by a Cuban exchange student all because Alfred had decided to pick a fight with him. Lucky for Matthew, the exchange student returned to Cuba at the end of tenth grade, still being convinced that Matthew was Alfred.

Today had been Matthew's first day of eleventh grade. He now sat in his eighth period science class. This day had been the same as any other day of school for him aside from there being two new students. Calgary high rarely got new students so this was sort of a surprise to Matthew. The new students were brothers who had just moved there from further down south. The younger brother had light blond hair that he wore slicked back and had bright blue eyes. He was rather tall and strongly built. The younger brother was often seen scolding his older brother, who seemed to be more laid-back than the other. The older brother (who just so happened to be sitting next to Matthew in Science) had pure, white hair, pale skin, and red eyes.

Matthew wondered if he should introduce himself. He sighed. _What's the use? They'll probably be like all the rest and forget who I am the very next day._

About fifteen minutes into class, Matthew got the strange feeling that somebody was watching him. He turned his head to find the older of the two new brothers looking at him. The albino man smiled at him. He had in fact been watching Matthew. Matthew didn't know whether to find this creepy or to take it as a sign of friendliness.

_It's probably just nothing_, he thought to himself. _But he does have a nice smile._ Matthew smiled back.

Soon enough, the dismissal bell rang, and the students rushed out of the class to go to their lockers. Alfred was supposed to drive Matthew home from school today, but he had probably forgotten (just like he does every other day that he's supposed to drive Matthew home).

Matthew frowned as he walked outside. It was pouring down rain, and he forgot his umbrella. And sure enough, Alfred was nowhere to be found. _Just my luck_, thought Matthew as he began running home. He could not wait until that sweet day when he finally turned 16 and got his driver's license.

Alfred is usually grounded by one of his fathers, Arthur or Francis, whenever something like this happens. He's normally grounded from his video games, or from going to parties, or something else of the sort, but Alfred never learns, and always ends up forgetting Matthew again, so he is grounded often.

After about a minute of running, Matthew was already soaked and freezing. Drops of rain clung to his glasses which made it very hard for him to see. A sudden _beep_ of a car horn startled Matthew, causing him to stumble, and nearly slip in a puddle.

The car beeped again.

Matthew looked behind him to see a car stopped by the side of the road. The driver rolled his window down and poked his head out.

"Hey! You need a ride?" he yelled at Matthew, his voice barely heard over the torrential rain.

Matthew could make out the stranger's white hair through the rain. _That's that new kid_, he thought to himself. Matthew Contemplated about whether or not he should accept the new kid's offer to drive him home. For all Matthew knew, he could be some sort of rapist, or a murderer, or a-

"Well are you coming?"

Matthew sighed and nodded. He has had to walk home in the rain plenty of times and nobody has ever even offered to give him a ride home, so he was grateful.

He ran to the car and sat down in the back seat since the passenger's seat was occupied by the new kid's younger brother. Matthew looked at the new kids. "Thank you very much," he said. "My brother was supposed to drive me home, but I suppose he forgot."

The albino man nodded. "Hey, it's no problem! I'm the awesome Gilbert and this-" he said motioning towards his younger brother. "-is my brother, Ludwig."

Ludwig nodded in Matthew's direction. Matthew nodded back. "Nice to meet the both of you. My name is Matthew."

"Nice to meet you as well, Matthew," Ludwig said. Gilbert nodded in agreement.

Gilbert looked back at Matthew from the rear-view mirror. "Hey you're shivering! Here take my jacket," Gilbert said as he removed his red hoodie and handed it to Matthew.

Matthew looked at the hoodie. "What? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, go ahead. It would be really _un-awesome_ of me if I let you freeze to death! Take it. You need it more than I do."

So, with that being said, Matthew took the jacket and put it on. "Thank you, Gilbert…again."

"No problem. Now where do you live?"

The rest of the ride was pretty quiet aside from Matthew giving directions and some small take here and there.

Gilbert pulled up in front of Matthew's house. He and Ludwig were both stunned.

"That is one biiiiiig house," Gilbert said.

It was true. Matthew's family's house (which was actually more like a small mansion than a house) was in a good neighborhood and just a couple of minute's walking-distance from a beautiful lake where Matthew and Alfred would often go to swim. Francis owned a popular French restaurant and worked as the head chef, which helped to pay for a fair amount of the house's funds. Arthur was a popular director that had directed a lot of hit British films. The money that Arthur makes help to pay for the rest of the house's funds.

Matthew nodded. He was always slightly embarrassed that he was usually wealthier than most of the other students at his school. "Yeah, my parents are very fortunate to have such good jobs," he said.

"I would kill to have a house like that! Luddie and I are stuck in a stupid little apartment on Oak Street with our drunk-of-a-father."

Ludwig glared at Gilbert as if to say that he's said too much.

"Err…so thank you again for the ride. Here's your jacket ba-"

"-Nah, you're still shivering!" Gilbert interrupted. "Just return it to me some other time, m'kay?"

"But-"

"I insist."

Matthew nodded and got out of the car. "Well, see you later." He closed to the door and dashed through the rain to his front porch.

"See you in science!" Gilbert called after him, and then drove off.

Matthew watched Gilbert drive away. "I think this year is going to be a bit different."

* * *

***Calgary:** A city in the providence of Alberta, Canada.

Welllll, that is all. And once again, this is only an introduction. It'll only get better.


	2. Chapter 2

**Warning**: This is still kinda an intro chapter. It WILL get better than this, I promise! This story also contains boy/boy love..so don't like it? Well get out. I will only be using the countries' human names.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the storyline.

**Pairings**: Gilbert**x**Matthew (Prussia**x**Canada) and Arthur**x**Francis (England**x**France)

Well enjoy ^^

* * *

"YOU GIT!"

As he walked into his house, Matthew was greeted by the sound of Arthur scolding Alfred. This was quite normal in their household. Arthur seems to loose his temper on a regular basis, were as Francis is the more patient parent. Arthur has even lost his temper with Matthew on a few occasions.

"HOW COULD YOU FORGET ABOUT YOUR BROTHER _AGAIN_?!

Arthur's yelling was so intense that Matthew had to cover his ears.

Alfred, who was also covering his ears, frowned. "Jeez, I'm sorry, dad! Now could you turn it down a notch? It's not that big of a deal, okay?"

"IT'S NO BIG DEAL?! THANKS TO _YOU_, YOUR BROTHER HAD TO WALK HOME IN THE _BLOODY RAIN_!"

Matthew sighed and stepped into the room where Alfred and Arthur could see him, hoping that the sight of himself would get his father to cease his yelling.

And it did. Arthur stopped scolding Alfred and looked at his younger son.

"Dad, it's okay. I got a ride home," Matthew stated.

"Really?" Arthur inquired. Sad enough as it was, he knew that his youngest son was not the most popular of kids at Calgary high. Arthur had never heard Matthew talk about any of his friends before, so this new was sort of a surprise to him. "From who?"

"His name's Gilbert. He and his brother just moved here."

"Gilbert?! The Albino?!" Alfred yelled suddenly.

Matthew nodded. "Err..yeah."

"That guy's a total basta-"

Arthur glared. "-Alfred! Language!"

"Sorry…But he's a douche! He embarrassed me in front of the whole class today!"

Arthur sighed. "I'm sure it wasn't that bad." He knew how Alfred loved to exaggerate his stories.

"It was!" Alfred yelled back.

"Well…I thought he was really nice," mentioned the younger brother. Now Matthew was kind of curious to know how Gilbert had embarrassed Alfred so badly, but he didn't think this was the time to ask.

Arthur smiled. He was happy to hear Matthew talk about a new friend of his. "Well why don't you invite him over someti-"

"NO!"

"Be quiet you! I don't want to hear it! You are in big trouble for ditching your brother!"

"Bonjour, everyone! I'm home!" Francis called from the front door.

Matthew ran to his father to greet him. "Hi, dad! How was business today?"

"Busy as it ever is, *Matthieu." Francis looked up and studied Matthew. "Is that a new jacket?"

"Oh, I'm just borrowing it. This new kid lent it to me because I was soaked from the rain."

Arthur stepped into the room. "Al forgot to drive Matthew home again," he said.

"Again?"

Arthur nodded.

Francis frowned. "Alfred, I warned you that if this happened again, we would take your keys away."

"Wha-NO!" Alfred yelled. "I promise it won't happen again!"

Matthew rolled his eyes. "That's exactly what you said last time," he mumbled.

"I don't want to hear it, Alfred. Now you're going to have to walk just like your brother. Now hand over the keys."

"…Fine."

* * *

That night Matthew fell asleep with a smile on his face. He couldn't wait for science.

* * *

Matthew's day started out as normal as any other. He woke up, took a shower, got dressed into a simple t-shirt and jeans, brushed his hair and teeth, and ate breakfast which Francis had so nicely prepared for them. He usually makes the two brothers breakfast before he leaves for work in the morning. This morning he had made cheese omelets.

"This is one of the many good things about having a chef as a dad," Alfred had said with his mouth stuffed with omelet.

After breakfast, Alfred and Matthew left to walk to school together.

Matthew's first seven periods went by very slowly. First he had Math, then Gym, and then English, World History, French, Art, and Reading. Now he was making his way to Science class. He had been waiting for science all day. Matthew didn't really know why he was so excited for science. After all, it was his least favorite subject.

Maybe it was the fact that he finally had a new friend. _Well, I wouldn't really call him a friend yet…I don't even know if he still remembers me or not._

He walked into the room and took a seat.

"Hi there, Matthew," he heard Gilbert say from the seat next to him.

_Well I guess that answers my question_, Matthew thought, smiling. The blond looked over at Gilbert and his smile quickly faded and was replaced with a frown while his eyes widened in surprise.

"Gilbert, what happened to your eye?!"

Gilbert's right eye was swollen underneath, and the skin had changed so it was a purplish color.

"Pfft, it's nothing," said Gilbert as he dismissively waved his hand.

"It's obviously something! You should go to the nurse or-"

"Hey…I'm fine. Don't worry."

Matthew sighed. Despite Gilbert's words, he was still very worried about his new friend, but he didn't want to intrude on business that was not his. "Well, um, if you say so."

* * *

Gilbert and Matthew left class together after the dismissal bell had ringed.

"So, you need a ride again today?" Gilbert asked.

"Yeah, if it's not a problem."

"Of course it's not a problem, Mattie!"

Matthew looked over at Gilbert. "Mattie?"

"Uh, yeah. You don't mind if I call you that right?"

"Hmm…Not if you don't mind if I call you Gil."

Gilbert chuckled and nodded. "Alright."

Matthew walked into his house. The ride home had been a lot more eventful than the last. A couple of blocks up from the school, Gilbert nearly avoided hitting a dog that had wondered onto the road. He was then scolded by Ludwig for reckless driving. Matthew had also found out what Gilbert had done that embarrassed Alfred so much.

"It wasn't_ that_ big of a deal," Gilbert had said. "I was just sitting in my chair with my feet out and he came along and tipped over me. It's not like I meant to do it."

"Alfred is known to exaggerate…He is also known to be quite clumsy."

Matthew and Gilbert chuckled.

"It's hard to believe that you two are related."

Matthew was now sitting on his bed doing homework. Alfred had come home about ten minutes after Matthew. He wasn't used to waling home, but Matthew thought that the exercise was good for him.

Matthew sighed and looked up from his homework. One of the few things that Alfred and Matthew had in common was that they both despised homework. Well…doesn't everyone?

As he looked up, Matthew caught a glimpse of a red article of clothing hanging in his closet.

_Oh yeah, _he thought. _I forgot to return Gil his jacket…Well he did say that he lived at the Oak Street apartment complex, and that's only and few blocks away from here. _ Matthew glanced over at his clock. _And it's only three thirty. I'll just walk it down to him now. It would give me an excuse to put off my homework for a while._

* * *

Matthew approached the old apartment complex. He saw Gilbert's car in the driveway of one of the apartments, so he figured that that was where they lived.

Matthew walked up the stairs leading to the front door. He knocked twice.

After a minute an unfamiliar person answered the door and Matthew was greeted with the strong smell of alcohol.

"U-um…Hello sir…Is Gilbert home?" Matthew said, stuttering slightly.

"Who the hell are you?" the stranger, who must be Gilbert's father, asked in a quite rude tone.

Gilbert, who was in the kitchen, heard Matthew's voice and rushed to the front door. "M-Mattie? What are you doing here?"

"Oh…I…um…" Matthew looked at Gilbert, then at Gilbert's father. "I came to get Gilbert. We have some…stuff to work on…school stuff."

Gilbert's father looked back at Gilbert. "…Well? Get going! Your girlfriend's waiting!"

"Hey!" Matthew started. "I'm no-" Gilbert clamped his hand over Matthew's mouth before he could finish and rushed him out the front door.

Gilbert closed the door behind them. "What are you doing here?"

"I…I just came to return your jacket."

Gilbert smiled slightly at hearing this. "Well thanks. And thanks for saving me back there. My old man is…err-"

"-He gave you that black eye didn't he?"

"…" Gilbert sighed. "He wasn't always like this…Thing changed after our mother died."

Matthew frowned. "I'm so sorry to hear that."

"Don't be."

"…Well would you like to come back to my house? Will Ludwig be okay on his own?"

Gilbert smiled again. "I'd love to, Mattie. Thanks. And Luddie's at work. By the time he gets home, our dad will be out cold, so he'll be fine."

Matthew nodded. "Alright. We could have dinner with my family at my dad's French restaurant."

"Awesome!...Waaait…French restaurant? Does that mean I'll have to eat snails?"

Matthew chuckled. "Not unless you want to, but they're actually not half bad. Oh, and I have a question for you."

"Yes?"

"Do I really look like a girl?"

* * *

***Matthieu: **French for 'Matthew'...That seemed pretty obvious but I figured I'd put this anyway.

Well, I hope you liked. Thanks for reading. Please tell me how l'm doning in the reviews. Thank you.


	3. Chapter 3

**Warning**: This first chapter might not be as exciting as the rest because it is an introduction, but I promise it'll get better as the story goes on. This story also contains boy/boy love..so don't like it? Well get out. I will only be using the countries' human names.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing but the storyline.

**Pairing**: Gilbert**x**Matthew (Prussia**x**Canada)

* * *

_La petit Paris._

This was Francis's restaurant. It was a very large, well-known restaurant. It had two floors as well as a bar on the roof. There were rose gardens on either side of the entrance. A french and an American flag glided in the wind on two separate flag poles on either side of the large restaurant. It was absolutely beautiful.

_I've never had French food before, _thought Gilbert to himself. _I'm sure it'll be good...as long as I don't have to eat snails._

Matthew pushed open the double doors that lead into the busy restaurant. "Bonjour, madamoiselle Sesel!" said Matthew to the greeter of the restaurant. Despite the the cold, gray weather, the greeter stayed tan year round. Sesel was young, had hazel eyes, and had long, brown hair which she always wore tied into two pigtails with ribbons. She smiled as her boss's son approached her. Matthew was well-known by the workers throughout the restaurant.

"Bonjour, monsieur Matthew," said Sesel with a smile. "And bonjour to you as well, Matthew's friend. Dinner for two?"

"Yes, please. And this," Matthew said motioning to the albino. "is my friend Gilbert."

"Pleased to meet you, monsieur Gilbert. If you would please follow me."

Sesel guided Matthew and Gilbert to an enclosed room which was separated from the large dining room. This room was made by Francis specially for when his family came to dine at the restaurant, so they would not have to wait in line or make reservations. In the room was a single six-person table with a white tablecloth and a vase of roses for the centerpiece. It was a nice, simple room. It wasn't as fancy as the rest of the restaurant, but it was still nice. Gilbert and Matthew sat down across from each other. Sesel handed them their menus, and slipped out of the room. Everything that Matthew and the rest of his family ordered, as well as their guests was on the house, which was nice.

Matthew didn't need to look at the menu, for he already knew what he wanted-the usual, which was a dish called _Pot au fea_. It was a beef stew with other vegetables added in. It was his favorite. He also decided to get Escargot, even though he really didn't like them that much. He just wanted to mess with Gilbert.

Gilbert, on the other hand, was looking at the English portion of the menu. All of those foreign words scared him. He didn't want to mispronounce something in front of Mattie and embarrass himself. He decided to order some steak and fries, or _steak frites,_ as Matthew put it.

They made small talk while they waited for their orders to be taken.

"So how are you doing in school, Mattie?"

"Good, and you?"

"Eh."

"Do you like it here?"

"Yeah, it's cool. Glad I have you as my friend. And now I have access to the best restaurant in town!"

"Of course~"

Soon enough, the garcon came, and they repeated their orders to him. After a bit of waiting, their food was served and they began eating.

Matthew had finished his stew, and Gilbert his steak and fries. The escargot sat at the middle of the table between the two and Matthew looked at Gilbert expectantly.

"Nope," said Gilbert. "Not a chance."

"Come on, pleeeease?"

"Noooo way, Mattie."

"How do you know you don't like something unless you try it? Come on. Just one? For me?"

"Fine," said Gilbert reluctantly. _It can't be THAT b_ad, _after all._

Gilbert picked up a snail, and quickly scarfed it down.

"YUCK!" he exclaimed after swallowing.

Matthew smiled. "Well at least you tried it, I guess."

Gilbert nodded and looked at Matthew. _He has a really nice smile. It's so cute._ He then quickly looked away and mentally scolded himself for thinking such things.

"Are you okay, Gil?" Matthew asked as he put his hand over top of the albino man's.

Gilbert blushed vaguely. "Yeah...I'm fine." _So cute._

Matthew didn't know why, but he had an urge to intertwine their fingers. But he didn't. He slowly moved his hand off of the other man's and back to his lap. "Hey Gilbert?"

"Yeah?"

Matthew stood up. "Follow me. I want to show you something."

"Uh, okay. Of course," said Gilbert, standing up as well.

The two men left the restaurant. They both pitched in a tip as they left. Matthew lead Gilbert down the street. The sun was setting. Pinks, oranges, reds, and yellows lit up the sky surrounding the setting sun. Gilbert thought that the setting sun was one of the most beautiful sights that he's ever laid eyes on throughout his life. He loved to go outside and watch it every afternoon.

"Where are you taking me, Mattie?" asked Gilbert as Matthew led him toward the town's lake that settled on the outskirts of the town.

"It's my secret place."

Soon enough Gilbert and Matthew reached the lake. Matthew led Gilbert along the beach. They approached a wall of bushes. Matthew pushed aside a branch which revealed an opening in the bushes. Matthew and Gilbert ducked through the hole. They were now standing on a secluded part of the beach. It was surrounded by bushes and there was a wooden bench that sat in the sand. Matthew sat down on the bench, and Gilbert next to him. They looked up and watched the sunset. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

..."This is where I used to come when I felt like nobody cared about me. When I thought that I was alone in the world. That nobody even remembered me or cared to. I used to sit here in silence and just watch the sunset."

Gilbert looked at Matthew, and Matthew looked back at him with a sad smile.

"You're not alone in the world, Mattie. There will always be someone for you. Someone who's willing to simply remember you. Someone who cares for you. Someone who will sit with you and talk to you while sharing the beautiful sight of this sunset. You're not alone."

Matthew looked at him. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

"Well I mean it. You deserve much better than what you've got. You're nice, thoughtful, caring, and frankly quite adorable. I just want people to wake up and realize that. I haven't known you for that long, but I know what kind of person you are. You're the kind of person that will be a good friend for as long as you know them."

Matthew don't know what came over him at that moment. He didn't think about what he was doing, but before he knew it, he had grabbed Gilbert's face, closed his eyes, and kissed the other man. Not a forceful kiss, but a sweet one.

Matthew pulled away and opened his eyes. "I'm...I'm so sorry."

Gilbert just stared. He was blushing deeply. Suddenly he began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"You're so damn adorable, that's what," the albino said before he took Matthew's face in his hands and kissed him on the lips.

And he wasn't going to say, but Gilbert fucking loved escargot.

* * *

**Well sorry it's been about a year since I've updated! I'm a slacker! I know. You could scold me if you'd like.**


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